Apparatus for flanging pipes inwardly or outwardly



.Sept-9,1947 `H.L..1 HNsoN 2,427,003

APPARATUS FOR FLANGING PIPES INWARDLY OR OUTWARDLY Filed-May 51, 1945 2 sheets-sheet 1 |Nv,ENToR HERBERT l.. JoHNsoN ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 238 INVENTOR HERBERT L. `JOHNSON ATTORNEY H. L. JOHNSON Filed May s1, 1945 APPARATUS FOR FLANGING PIPE'S INWARDLY OR OTWARDLY Sept. 9, 1947-.

Il L..

I4 22e ya Patented Sept. 9, 194'? OFFICE APPARATUS FOR FLANGING PIPES INl/VARDLY OR OUTWARDLY Herbert L. Johnson, Peabody, Mass. Application May 31, 1945, Serial No. 596,937 claims. (01.7153-29) (Granted under the act oi' March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370.0. G. l757) This invention relates generally to sheet metal working machines and isv illustrated herein as embodied in a machine for forming flanges on the ends of tubular elements such as pipes or cylinders for joining the latter with other pipes or .cylinders or with plane members.

In U. S. Patent No. 2,370,666 granted to Herbert L. Johnson on March 6, 1945, and in his U. S. application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 582,098 filed on March 10, 1945, are disclosed machines for forming iianges on fiat blanks. These machines, in their present form, are not particu-` larly suited for use in forming anges on the ends of long tubular elements because the general arrangement of the machines does not permit such elements to be presented properly to the operating tools.

It is an object of the present invention therefore, to provide in connection with a machine of the character disclosed in the above-mentioned application, a few simply constructed attachments adapted to be readily assembled on the machine and by means of which it is rendered capable of forming end flanges on cylinders in a smooth and efcient manner.

Another object of the invention'is to provide a anging mechanism of 'the above character which by the making of a few simple adjustments accommodates cylinders of different thicknesses of stock and of varying diameters and lengths.

A further object of the invention lies in the novel arrangement of certain of the parts whereby the machine may, at the will of the operator, be operated to form end flanges on cylinders in either inward or outward direction from the bodies thereof.

With the above and other objects and features in View, the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and will be pointed out in the claims.

i In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in front elevation of an illustrative machine embodying the invention and illustrating a cylinder in position for the fi'anging operation to be performed thereon, Fig. 2 is Aa sectional plan view showing the operating means for the flanging tool,

Fig. 3 is a sectional front elevation illustrating the mounting and arrangement of the cylinder engaging rollers, the flanging tool and its initial ,position in relation to a cylinder when a iiange is to be formed outwardly on its end,

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but with the flanging tool shown in its initial position in relation to a cylinder when a flange is to be formed inwardly on its end, Y

Fig. 5 is a. detailed sectional View taken substantially on theline V-V of Fig. 1 and showing in end elevation an adjustable means for supporting the free end of a cylinder concentrically with its axis of rotation,

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail view taken on the line VII-VII of Fig. 5.

The illustrated machine comprises a base Ill (Fig. 1),of welded H-beam construction, t0 one -end of which is fixed a pedestal I 2 adapted to support one end of a table I4. The other end of the table is fixed to an arm I6, integral with the base I0, and arranged to extend above and centrally over the left-hand end of the table. A bracket I8, having a slide-way in which a slide 20 may be adjusted vertically, is mounted for angular adjustment on a pivot 22'iixed to the arm I6. This angular adjustment is made by turning a handwheel 23 which drives a gear 24 arranged to mesh with aV gear segment 25 formed in the bracket I8. The handwheel and gear 24 are fixed to a` shaft rotatably mounted in the arm I6. Upon completing the adjustment of the bracket I8, it is clamped in position by setting up bolts 26 which pass through arcuate slots in the bracket and are threaded into the arm I6. For the purposes of the presentl invention bracket I8 is adjusted to the position shown in Fig. 1 and is left in such position.

Fixed to the slide 2D (Fig. l) is a housing 21, in which a shaft 28 is mounted to rotate. The lower end of shaft 28 (Fig. 3) has the form of a truncated pyramid as indicated at 38. The shaft and housing 2l are arranged to be raised and lowered with respect to table I4 by a lever 34 carried by a shaft 36, the latter being mounted to rotate in the bracket I8. A pinion (not shown) fixed to shaft 36 is arranged to mesh with a rack (not shown) cut in the slide 20, the latter thus beingmoved heightwise when the lever 34 is operated. The slide 20 may be locked to the bracket I8 by setting up a clamp 40 having a shank threaded in the bracket I8, and adapted to bear against the slide 20.

An electric motor 44 mounted on the top of the bracket I8 drives the shaft 28 through connections comprising a worm 45 fixed to the motor shaft 28 and meshing with a worm gear 46. rlrhe gear 46 and theshaft 28 are splined to provide a'driving connection therebetween, regardless of the adjustment of the slide heightwise of the table.

The foregoing parts are identical in operation and construction with those shown and described in the aforementioned application Serial No.

In the-present invention thelowerfend (Fig: 3) of shaft 28 accommodates the mounting of one of the attachments that adapts the machine to turn end anges upon cylinders, the attachment 'being indicated generally at 200.V The at? tachment 200 comprises a horizontally disposed bearing 202 that is mounted to the right of shaft 28 by an upstanding arm 204 secured by bolts 206 to a at plate 298 on the lower end' of housing 2T. A stub shaft 2|0 mounted in the bearing 202'.' has iixed on its rightwardly projecting end a horizontally disposed roller 2 |25. A, beveled gear 211i` iixed on the opposite end of the shaft 204 meshes' with a companion gear 246 journaled in a depending arm; llu-formed(integral' withthe bearing 202. The gear 2l8 is interconnected with the lower', squared end-y ci" a vertically disposed stubshaft 226'; The upper end of'shaft 2210 is-prowi'ded` with al socket that engagesithe lower endE 30 of shaft 28, anda screw 222'- passi'ng through thestubshaft and threaded into the shaft ZScOmpletes-the connections necessary for mounting the attachment 209 on the machine. Through thei'oregoing connect-ions, rotation of shaft 28# drives the shaft 2H) and rotates .the roller 212.

A second attachment forfadapti-n-g' the machine for cylinder' end Hang-ing operations comprises another` horizontal-ly disposed roller 226 that is adiustable lengthwise of the table f4 into vertical alignment with the driven roller-21H; The roller 225 is rotatably' mounted 4on the left end'E oi" a shaft 22e that is secured in a'bracket Morand proiects-irom an opposite direction toward the shaft 2110. Thelbracket 226 is'mountedV for sliding movement above a dovetailedA way2-2"8 that extends lengthwise ofv the table- I4i and centrally thereof. 'Y block 23's (Fig. 6')L slifdable in the-way is' connected tothe bracketv 226 by abolt and nut 23 ff by means of whicht-he roller 221i may be locked in itsv vertically adjusted position.

The arrangement -of the rollers, as just described, permits of the free; easy, and' unobstructcd introduction ci" anv end` of a cylinder wall therebetween as clearlyill'ustrated inV the drawings. fn mounting the cylinder, it is placed lengthwise-oi' and' above the table lic with its internal and external surfaceslying betweenI the vertical-ly aligned rollers 2 l2 and 22 E, respectively, and with its left end spaced beyond the left end faces-ef rollers ananrount corresponding substantially width with the width of the flange tobe formed.

Theroller` 2| 2- israisedj or' lowered-V to the correct height for this purp'o-seand" conf'ormably to the thickness-ofthe cylinder wall :by the lever' 3ft'E and is iinallyadjusted so .that there ispiovideci a suicient friction'at engagement` of the wall between thetwov rollers to cause they cylinder to: rotate when the roller 2 t2. isf driven` by the shaft 30.

The cylinder is supported. at` its opposite.. unengaged end for rotative movement: by a pair of bearings 232. The bearings232 (Fig. 5f) are ar-t rangedk to be jointly adjustedintotangential contactv with the. periphery of the cylinder below its horizontal center and on the opposite sides of its vertical center. The bearings are rotatably supported between opstanding biiurcated arms 231iA formed/onoppo'sitely disposed followers 236' slid; able in achannel 238 formed in a bar-240" extend-V ing transversely of the table lll. The bar 240 is guided for longitudinal movement along the table by a depending projection 242 slidably seated within the way 228. The means for adjusting the bearings 232 inwardly and outwardly from the cylinder comprises a screw 2M having as reduced central portion 24B engaged within a slot 248 (see also Fig. 7) in a `block 250 secured centrally within 'channel 233 to the bar 240. The left and right vendsot the screw are oppositely threaded within the followers 236 whereby rotation of the screw in one direction moves the Ibearings 232 toward each other and rotation of the screw in an opposite. direction moves the bearings away from each other. Thus the bearings may ybe adjusted to accommodate cylinders of varying diameters and, into proper positionwith respect thereto, to insure concentric" rotation of the unengaged end of the cylinder. In this manner, the rotative feed movement imparted to the cylinder by the rollers 2! 2S and'l 224 is kept smoothv andV uniform throughout theV hanging' operation and the possibility of strain upon the engaged end of the cylinder is precluded.

The Hanging tool 252 (Fig. 4) of the present invention comprises a circular body that is formed` with an upper fiat face 251!4 and a lower face 256 of convex contour, and with the periphcriesy of these faces' merging in a common round 25T. Centrally of the' lowerface' 25|?v there` is formed a dependingV shank 250 having a tapered square socket 260l internally formed therein. The socket is" adapted to t securely over a correspondingly formed end 262 of a shaft 50. The shaftk 50` is renderedy receptivev to the mounting ofthe tool 252, just described. A screw 264 passing through the tool 252 and threaded: into'- the shaft 50" secures the tool in operative position on the shaft; Y

The mechanism forrotating tool 252 and' shaft 50'- an'd i'or adjusting, it laterally and vertically with; respect to the'l end ofthe cylinder is. identical in construction and operation with that' disclosed in; the above-mentioned application and will be described herein only insofar as it' pertainsto thel present invention. Thev shaft" 5U* is mounted' to rotate on bearmgs within a; sleeve 54" (Fig. 3)", the sleevev being, arranged to slidevertically in a housinglll' (Figs. 1 and' 2j). The' housing 60 is arranged to. slide lengthwise of the.V machine in a slideway G2v on a carriage 8E, and the latter is arranged to tilt in a vertical planey about a shaft E6', carried by a boss' lillA iixecl`- to' the" frame f0`. y y Y The Hanging tool 252 is driven in rotation by an electric motor 'I0 (Fig. 2) which mounted on a; bracket T2' XedY toi the housing. 00L A driving connectionbetween the motor andthe ilanging tool is provided by a worm TL fixed to the' motor shaft.. anda worm gear 16 spline'dA to the shaft 50; the gear being rotatably mounted in the` housing 60.. yThe ilanging'tool 252'- is raised or: lowered by turning a. handwheei 1.5, which is rotatably mounted,4 in. a bracket 00,. fixed tol the housing G0'. Thehandwheel 'Hlt isfxed' to a; shaft 82v which; carriesa gear 84 arranged tomesh with another gear 86,l formed on the: right-handj end of; a worm 88; The wormi 8B 'and4 the gear 86 are mountedV to: rotate.` in thehousing; E0. A shaft.A 00u also. mounted; to rotateV in. the housing 90, on one. end a worm. gear 92,'4 arranged',

to mesh with theworm` Sat VOn the other end off the shaft 00is1iixed a pinion 95 whi'ehme'shes with a rack (not shown) vcut theA side of the sleeve 54. Y lIhus, by means of the connections above described, when the handwheel-'I is turned, thesleeve -5`4 andthe anging `tool 252fmay -be raised or lowered as desired. 1 'l Theiianging tool may be adjusted lengthwise of the machine into a position adjacent to the left end faces-of rollers 2|2-224 by turning another handwheel 96, which is carriedlbya shaft 88;' The f shaft SS is rotatablyf mounted on Va bracket |00 fixed to the carriage 64.' A threadedy shaft |02 rotatably mounted-on the carriage |54 has fixed toits right-hand end a gear 04 adapted to meshwith another gear |06, the latter being xed to the shaft 98. The shaft |02 isi threaded into a plate- IUB-Which-is secured-to the base of the housing 60 and accordingly, when the shaft |02V is rotated, the housing 00 is moved lengthwise of the machine in the slideway l62.

Angular adjustment of the fianging tool 252 laterally'of the left end faces of Vrollers 2'l2-224 isnot necessary in the present invention beyond positioning the shaft 50 and the axis of rotation of the tool 252 at a direct right angle to these faces as illustrated in the drawing. This right angular positioning of the shaft is accomplished byturning a handwheel v| I0 fixed to'a shaft ||2 rotatably mounted in a bracket H4, extending from the leftend of the carriage fill. A gear H6, Xed to the shaft ||2, is arranged to mesh with another gear |8, which is mounted to rotate on a yoke |20, the latter being pivoted at |22 to the bracket ||4. The gear i I8 is internally threaded to receive a screw |724 (Fig. 4) which is pivoted at |25 to a boss |28 fixed to the frame I0. A It is now apparent that by turning thehandwheel H0, the gear I I8 may be moved up or down the screw' |24, and' a corresponding tilting movement imparted to the carriage 64 to bring-the shaft 50' and tool 252 into a right angular relation with respect to the left end facesof the rollers 2|2 and 224.

It is noted that ample clearance is provided between the left end face of the roller 2|2 and thedepending arm 218 of the bearing 202 to freely admit the tool 252 for vertical movement and permit `of its lateral adjustment therebetween. Tools similar to the tool 252 but having larger diameters for turning flanges of greater widths may be readily used by providing an attachment 200 having a correspondingly elongated bearing 202 for accommodating the increased diameter of the tool.

The adjustment and operation of the machine will now be described with reference to the forming of a flange on an end margin of a cylinder, it being assumed rst that the flange is to be formed outwardly from the body of the cylinder.

With the rollers 2|2 and 224 adjusted in vertical alignment and approximately into the proper position for receiving the cylinder wall therebetween, the tool 252 is adjusted by handwheels 06 and 18 horizontally and vertically, respectively, to a position where its fiat face 254 lies adjacent to the bearing 202 and the round 251 of the tool is spaced laterally from the left end face of roller 2| 2 by an amount substantially equal to the thickness of the wall of the cylinder upon which a iiange is to be turned as shown in Fig. S. The cylinder wall is then inserted between the rollers 2|2 and 224 and Ibeneath the convex face 256 in the manner hereinbefore described, i. e., with its left end spaced beyond the left end faces of the rollers by an amount substantially equal to the desired width of the ange to be formed whereupon the roller 2 I2 is--brought'into fr ictional engagement withthe internal surface of the cylinder wall by turning lever 34. The rollers are locked in adjustedl positionl by theclamp 40 and bolt andnut connections 23|.- The bearings 232 are" now adjusted lengthwise of vthe table I4 in way 228into a position for'supporting the free end of the cylinder and are mbvedinwardly into supporting contact with-the cylinderl by screw 241|.. l

- Assumingfnow thatthe motors 10 and 44 are operating, the cylinder will be fed rotatively by the frictional engagement thereof between rollers 2|2-224 During -this rotary movement the handwheel 78 is operated to -lower the rotating flanging tool 252 and bring its convex Aface 256 into contact with the innersurface of the end of the cylinder, which, as illustrated in Fig. 3, -progressively bendsv the marginal end portion outwardly against'the left end face of the roller '224.' as suggested'by the dotted lines in this figure. The convex contour of the face 256 permits this lowering movement to be carried out-without interference between the tool and the cylinder by providing a surface that contacts the cylinder end at but a single point during the downward traverse of the tool. Y When a ange is to be formed inwardly on the end of a cylinder the adjustments of the cylinder between the rollers `2 |2 and 224 follows substantially the samepr'ocedure as above described. TheA tool 252 however, inV this instance, is positioned at the beginning of the operation'with its flat surface 254 beneath the marginal end portion defined by the lateral positioning of the cylinder between the rollers as shown in Fig. 4. Assuming the motors 10 and 'i4 are operating, the handwheel '18 is turned to raisethe tool andrbring the fiat surface 254 into contact with the outer surface of the cylinder, which, as illustrated in Fig. 4, progressively bends the marginal'end portion inwardlyagainst the left'end'face of roller 2 2 as suggested by the dotted lines of Fig. 4.

'-The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalty thereon or therefor.

Having described my invention, what is claimed as novel and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a machine for flanging the ends of cylinders, said machine comprising a pair of rollers, a rotating flanging tool, driving means for one of said rollers, means for projectively supporting said roller in a direction away from said driving means, means for projectively supporting the other of said rollers in a direction toward said driving means, means for adjusting said rollers relatively to each other into aligned engagement with the opposite surfaces of a cylinder wall disposed therebetween, the end of said cylinder being spaced from the end faces of said rollers nearest said driving means, a support for said tool, means for adjusting said support longitudinally of the cylinder into position between said driving means and said end faces, and means for moving said tool transversely of said end faces to bend said spaced end portion against one or the other of said end faces.

2. In a machine for anging the ends of cylinders, said machine comprising a pair of rollers, a rotating anging tool, driving means for one of said rollers, means for projectively supporting said roller in a direction away from said driving means, means for projectively supporting the agences other'V ot said. rollers` in a. direction. toward said driving means-meansfor adjusting said; rollers.

relatively: ltoeacn. other into aligned engagement withthe opposite surfaces of aeylinder Walla. disposed.' therebetween; the end ofsaidi cylinder being spaced from theend faces. or said. rollers nearest. saiddriving. means a support for. said tool, mea-ns for adjusting saictsupport longitudinally of the cylinder into: position. between said drivinglmeans and said. end faces, means for mov-ing said. tool transversely ot saidY end; faces to. bendr saidspaced. end portion against oneA or the other of said: endiaces, and` means for. sup'- porting the; cylinder at its freaend concentrically withits. axis of. rotation..

3., A machine for langing the endof. a cyl.- inder,l said: machine comprising. a pair of. rotatimg rollerse a. rotating flanging tool, means@ supportingfsaid rollersA from opposite. end.. f aces thereoin a positionreceptiverto. the. free.- andgeasy' insertion of ther wallet a. cylinder between said rollers and amarginal: end portion of. the. cylinder. extending beyond the end faces of the rollers, said supporting. meansy being. adjustable to move the rollers relatively to` each other intoV aligned en.- gagement with the opposed surfaces: of said wall to.l denne: saidV end. portion and impart feeding movement to the cylinder, and means for moving saidtool. transversely of said endportion to bend said..V portion against either of. the end. faces of said. rollers. that lie adjacent. to. said. end, portion.

4- A machine for kforming end` anges, on. cylinders, said machineA comprisingrv a pair of., rotating rollers, oppositely extending supports for said rollers, said supports being. adjustable tov position said rollers. relatively. tovv each other for freely receiving the. Wall; of a. cylinder inserted therebetween and being also adjustable. to move the rollers to. a position where they alignedly and opposit'elyengage. the internalfand. external.v surfaces of, saidv wall to impart feedingz movement to the cylindensaidcylinder being .adjusted between the rollersto a position dening. a marginal` end portion beyond the end faces. of. said rollers, a rotating Hanging tool? formed, with oppositely disposed convex' and dat. faces, meansI for adj-,listing the tool sov that its convex face overli'estheinter.-

8 nali'surface of said marginali end portion or so that itsat: face: underlies the external surface of said marginalportion, saidtool adjusting means being operative to move. the tool transversely of said portion from either of said. positionsv toward the other.

5. In a. i'langing machine-,. in combination, a pair of. rollers; a,flangingtool;= means for driving one of said rol-lersztoimpart. feed movement to a, cylinder` disposed with its circumferential wallr engaged between` said driven roller and the other oi said. rollers, means for adiusting. said other roller longitudinally of the cylinder intoalignmerit.y with said?A driven roller; said; wallbeing posi'- tioned. between the. rollers. with aportionof one of its ends extending. marginally beyond the end suriaces ot. the rollers. means for adjusting. said tool to a position. adjacent said end surfaces either above or below the axis of. engagement. of saidwali, means for rotating. said` tooLaud means for operating, said adjusting means during the feed. movement of the. cylinder to move said tool in. opposite directions. transversely of said mar.-

gina-l endA portion whereby said portion may be bent, against the end surface of said driven roller or against. the endg. surface of. said other roller.

HERBERT L. JOHNSON..

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